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Popular Mechanics Podcast 03.24.14

Consider This

On Friday, NASA held a teleconference to discuss Asteroid Initiative Announcement of Opportunities. Essentially, NASA wants help figuring out how to capture asteroids and is willing to pay a handsome sum—$6 million in fact. However, some of their ideas seem pure science fiction. The space agency hopes to capture a near-Earth asteroid (or part of a big one) and direct it into lunar orbit, creating its very own lunar satellite.

Motherboard mentions that NASA is really targeting commercial space organizations to step up and find solutions. Although asteroids represent a treasure trove a resources like iron, nickel, and titanium, they also contain a priceless scientific opportunity—A perfect match for NASA and its would-be partners. But the stakes are higher than a good business deal, mining asteroids could provide a way to help curtail resource dependency on our own planet. Who knows what NASA will get with its $6 million gamble, but it could be the start of something big.